Adjustable hood system for rain gutters

ABSTRACT

An adjustable hood system for rain gutters has a flat roof section, a hood section rotably connected to the roof section, and fastening members that rotably connect to the hood section. The fastening members mount on the front lip of a rain gutter while the roof section integrates with the roof. Relative rotation of the roof section, hood section and fastening members permits the hood system to be mounted on roofs with any slope and pitched rain gutters at any level relative to the roof.

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of the U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/551,126 filed Mar. 8, 2004.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to rain gutters for buildings and more particularly to a hood system for rain gutters that is adjustable for different roof pitches and different rain gutter levels.

BACKGROUND ART

Open trough rain gutters collect debris that falls on the roof and washes down with the rain water. Systems to shield the rain gutter from debris include screens over the open trough and reverse-curve shields. The screens have a tendency to clog with small debris, blocking the rain water from entering the rain gutter.

Reverse-curve shields or hoods generally have a sloped planar section that extends over the rain gutter and a coextensive curved section that curves forwardly and downwardly over the front of the rain gutter and curves downwardly and inwardly. Rain water, through liquid adhesion principles, follows the curved section to the lower edge and falls into the rain gutter. Debris washed down by the rain water falls off at the forward extent of the curved section and drops to the ground.

Reverse-curve shields can mount only over the rain gutter, independent of the roof, or can mount with the rear of the shield integrated into the roof. Reverse-curve shields typically require a certain amount of vertical spacing above the rain gutter. Generally rain gutters are mounted as high as possible on the eave, adjacent to the lower edge of the roof. The combination of a high mounted rain gutter and the required vertical spacing of the shield above the rain gutter can result in the rear edge being higher than the roof edge with a reverse-curve shield that mounts only over the rain gutter. The rear edge of a reverse-curve shield being higher than the roof edge prevents proper water flow and accumulates debris. A reverse-curve shield that integrates into the roof is preferable in many applications.

Known reverse-curve shields are generally formed from a single piece of sheet metal or extruded plastic, and are substantially rigid. The forward end of known reverse-curve shields are also generally rigidly connected to the front edge of the rain gutter. Typical residential roof slopes or pitches vary from 3:12 or about 14 degrees to 12:12 or about 45 degrees. Rain gutters must slope downwards in the direction of the drain pipe in order to properly drain. Therefore, the level of a rain gutter relative to the roof edge will vary. The thickness and overhang of the roof covering also varies. Known rigid reverse-curve shields often cannot be satisfactorily integrated into the roof or may require complex, custom manufacture to integrate into the roof.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

An adjustable, reverse-curve hood system for rain gutters includes a roof section, a hood section and a plurality of spaced fastening members. The roof section is substantially flat and integrates with the roof covering on the roof. The roof section rotably connects to the hood section. The hood section has a substantially flat, rearward first portion and a downwardly curved, forward second portion. The fastening members rigidly mount on the rain gutter and rotably connect to the forward end of the hood section. Mechanical cylinder-in-cylinder joints provide the rotary connections between the roof section and hood section, and between the hood section and fastening members. Relative rotation between the roof section and hood section, and between the hood section and fastening members permits mounting the hood system on roofs of any slope and on rain gutters at any level relative to the roof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Details of this invention are described in connection with the accompanying drawings that bear similar reference numerals in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable hood system embodying features of the present invention, mounted on a rain gutter.

FIG. 2 is a side plan view of the system and rain gutter of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a fastening member of the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side plan view of the system and rain gutter of FIG. 1 mounted a roof.

FIG. 5 is another side plan view of the system and rain gutter of FIG. 1 mounted a roof.

FIG. 6 is another side plan view of the system and rain gutter of FIG. 1 mounted a roof.

FIG. 7 is another side plan view of the system and rain gutter of FIG. 1 mounted a roof.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the system of FIG. 1 with storm clips.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a storm clip of the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the system of FIG. 1 with a storm clip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, an adjustable, reverse-curve hood system 11 embodying features of the present invention mounts on a rain gutter 12. The rain gutter 12 shown has a conventional configuration with a back wall 14, a bottom wall 15 that extends forwardly from the bottom of the back wall 14, and a front wall 16 that extends upwardly from the front of the bottom wall 15. The back, bottom and front walls 14, 15 and 16 form a upwardly open trough 17. The back wall 14 is planar and vertical for mounting to an eave and the bottom wall 15 shown is planar and horizontal. The front wall 16 shown is shaped, extending upward and outwardly, to a forward end 19 of the rain gutter 12. The forward end 19 has an inwardly extending lip 20. The lip 20, when the rain gutter 12 is formed from sheet metal, is folded under along the innermost extent to form a hem 21.

The hood system 11 includes a roof section 24, a hood section 25 and clips or fastening members 26. The roof section 24 and hood section 25 are each elongated strips of relatively thin, substantially rigid, impermeable material, and can be made of sheet metal or extruded plastic. The roof section 24 has an generally flat portion 28 between a back end 29 and a front end 30. The roof section 24 shown is formed from sheet metal and the back end 29 is folded under. The front end 30 bends downwardly at about 90 degrees relative to the flat portion 28. The front end 30 then curves downwardly and rearwardly, downwardly and forwardly, upwardly and forwardly, and upwardly and rearwardly, around a circular arc of more than 180 degrees, to form an upwardly opening, partial cylindrical shape.

The hood section 25 has a rearward end 33, a substantially flat first portion 34 the extends forwardly from the rearward end 33, a curved second portion 35 that extends from the first portion 34 and a forward end 36 that extends from the second portion 35. The rearward end 33 bends downwardly at about 90 degrees relative to the first portion 34. The rearward end 33 then curves downwardly and forwardly, downwardly and rearwardly, upwardly and rearwardly, and upwardly and forwardly, around a circular arc of more than 180 degrees, to form an upwardly opening, partial cylindrical shape. The rearward end 33 of the hood section 25 is sized and shaped to interfit with the front end 30 of the roof section 24. The rearward end 33 of the hood section 25 shown fits into front end 30 of the roof section 24, rotably connecting the roof section 24 and the hood section 25.

The second portion 35 of the hood section 25 curves downwardly and forwardly, and then downwardly and rearwardly. The forward end 36 bends downwardly from the second portion 35 and then curves downwardly and rearwardly, upwardly and rearwardly, and upwardly and forwardly, around a circular arc of more than 180 degrees, to form an upwardly opening, partial cylindrical shape.

The fastening member 26 shown, in side view is generally L shaped with a vertical first leg 38 joined to a horizontal second leg 39. A gutter slot 40, sized and shaped to receive the lip 20 and hem 21 of the rain gutter 12, extends horizontally inwardly from the front of the second leg 39. The fastening member 26 has a hood groove 41 between the first and second legs 38 and 39. The hood groove 41 curves around a circular arc of more than 180 degrees, to form an upwardly, forwardly opening, partial cylindrical shape, and is sized to receive the forward end 36 of the hood section 25, to rotably connect the fastening member 26 to the hood section 25. The hood groove is positioned behind the gutter slot 40 to position the forward end 36 of the hood section 25 behind of the forward end 19 of the rain gutter 12. The fastening member 26 can be molded, preferably from a plastic material. A plurality of spaced fastening members 26 rigidly mount on the lip 20 of the rain gutter 12.

FIG. 4 shows the a roof 45 with a slope of 3:12 with a rain gutter 12 mounted on the eave 46. The rain gutter 12 is mounted such that the top of the back wall 14 is vertically even with the top of the eave 46. The hood system 11 is mounted with the front end 30 of the roof section 24 resting on the roof covering 47 and with the roof section 24 substantially parallel to the roof 45. The back end 29 of the roof section 24 can be inserted between the first row 48 and the second row 49 of the roof covering 47, as shown, or can be fastened over the roof covering 47, to integrate the roof section 24 into the roof 45. The first portion 34 of the hood section 25 extends forwardly and is nearly horizontal. A fastening member 26 is shown mounted on the lip 20 of the rain gutter 12 and the forward end 36 of the hood section 25 is located in the hood groove 41 of the fastening member 26.

The front end 30 of the roof section 24 and the rearward end 33 of the hood section 25 form a mechanical cylinder-in-cylinder first joint 51, the linear equivalent of a ball and socket joint, allowing rotation of the roof section 24 and hood section 25 relative to each other. The rotation of the roof section 24 and hood section 25 relative to each other allows the roof section 24 to be positioned substantially parallel to the roof 45 for any roof slope and for any slope of the hood section 25. The cylinder-in-cylinder first joint 51 is substantially impermeable to water, providing a mechanical rotary joint while preventing rain water from flowing through between the roof section 24 and the hood section 25, and under the hood section 25 so that the roof section 24 and hood section 25 form a substantially continuous flow surface 52 for draining rain water. Rain water and debris from the roof 45 flow across the roof section 25 and the first portion 34 of the hood section 25.

As the rain water and debris flow down the curved second portion 35 of the hood section 25, the debris separates and falls off where the second portion 35 becomes vertical. The rain water continues to flow downwardly and inwardly to the forward end 36 of the hood section 25 and drops into the rain gutter 12 therefrom. The hood groove 41 of fastening member 26 positions the forward end 36 of the hood section 25 a selected distance rearward from the lip 20 of the rain gutter 12 to provide proper flow of rain water into the gain gutter 12 while assuring that debris falls off forward of the rain gutter 12.

The forward end 36 of the hood section 25 and the hood groove 41 of each fastening member 26 form a mechanical cylinder-in-cylinder second joint 53 so the hood section 25 can rotate relative to the rain gutter 12. The rotation of the hood section 25 relative to the rain gutter 12 permits the rearward end 33 of the hood section to rest on the roof 45 while the forward end 36 of the hood-section 25 is positioned the selected distance from the lip 20 of the rain gutter 12, for any roof slope and for any level of the rain gutter 12 relative to the roof 45.

FIG. 5 shows the a roof 45 with a slope of 12:12 with a rain gutter 12 mounted on the eave 46 such that the top of the back wall 14 is vertically even with the top of the eave 46. As compared to FIG. 4, the roof section 24 of the hood system 11 in FIG. 5 is rotated upwardly to be substantially parallel to the steeper roof 45, while the first portion 34 of the hood section 25 is again nearly horizontal.

FIG. 6 shows the a roof 45 with a slope of 3:12 with a rain gutter 12 mounted on the eave 46 such that the top of the back wall 14 is 2.00 inches below the top of the eave 46. As compared to FIG. 4, the hood section 25 of the hood system 11 in FIG. 6 is rotated downwardly while the roof section 24 is again substantially parallel to the roof 45. The rotation of the hood section 25 is enabled by the rotably connecting the hood section 25 to the roof section 24 and rotably connecting the hood section 25 to the fastening member 26.

FIG. 7 shows the a roof 45 with a slope of 12:12 with a rain gutter 12 mounted on the eave 46 such that the top of the back wall 14 is 2.00 inches below the top of the eave 46. As compared to FIG. 4, the hood section 25 of the hood system 11 in FIG. 6 is rotated downwardly and the roof section 24 is rotated upwardly to be substantially parallel to the steeper roof 45.

Referring to FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, the roof section 24 of the hood system 11 may be divided into a plurality of laterally extending roof section segments 55 and/or the hood section 25 of the hood system 11 may be divided into a plurality of laterally extending hood section segments 56. Adjacent roof section segments 55 meet or abut each other along roof section segment seams 57. Preferably, adjacent roof section segments 55 are positioned with virtually no gap or discontinuity at the roof section segment seams 57. Adjacent hood section segments 56 abut each other along roof section segment seams 58. Preferably, adjacent hood section segments 56 are positioned with virtually no gap or discontinuity at the hood section segment seams 58.

FIG. 8 shows the roof section segment seams 57 staggered or offset relative to the hood section segment seams 58. The roof section segment seams 57 are offset relative to the hood section segment seams 58 to add strength, increase resistance to wind lift and provide additional rigidity between the roof and hood section 24 and 25 of the hood system 11. Offsetting the roof section segment seams 57 relative to the hood section segment seams 58 also minimizes the appearance of changing height when the mounting height of the rain gutter 12 varies significantly.

FIG. 9 shows a storm clip 60. The storm clip 60 shown can be formed from a rectangular piece of material such as metal or plastic, and includes a substantially flat, horizontal base 61 and a vertical portion 62 that extends upwardly from one side of the base 61. The upper portion of the storm clip 60 is split to provide first and second tabs 63 and 64, with the first tab 63 being folded to extend horizontally sideways from the top of the vertical portion 62 in one direction and the second tab 64 being folded to extend horizontally sideways from the top of the vertical portion 62 in the opposite direction. The storm clip 60 mounts on the roof covering 47 at a roof section segment seam 57 with the first tab 63 extending over a roof section segment 55 and the second tab 64 extending over the adjacent roof section segment 55. The storm clip 60 provides additional hold-down strength for the roof section segments 55, to prevent high wind from lifting or damaging the roof section 24.

The hood system 11 with the storm clips 60 may be installed as follows. The hood section 25 is installed first. A roof section segment 55 is installed by sliding the front end 30 of the roof section 24 over the rearward end 33 of the hood section 25. The storm clip 60 is mounted on the roof coving 47 with the first tab 63 extending over the roof section segment 55. The next roof section segment 55 is installed by sliding the front end 30 of the roof section 24 over the rearward end 33 of the hood section 25 until the second tab 64 extends over the roof section segment 55.

Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example and that changes in details of structure may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. 

1. An adjustable hood system for an open trough rain gutter having a forward end and a back wall attached to an eave of a roof having a slope, comprising: a roof section having a generally flat portion connected to a front end, a hood section having a rearward end, a generally flat first portion extending forwardly from said back edge, a curved second portion that extends forwardly and downwardly from said first portion, and then downwardly and rearwardly, and a forward end extending from said second portion opposite said first portion, said rearward end being rotably connected to said front end of said roof section, and a plurality of spaced fastening members for mounting on said forward edge of said rain gutter, said fastening members and said forward end of said hood section being rotably connected, whereby said roof section is adjustable to said slope of said roof and capable of being integrated into said roof, and said hood section is adjustable to a pitch of said rain gutter and a level of said rain gutter relative to said roof.
 2. The hood system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said front end of said roof section and said rearward end of said hood section form a mechanical first joint.
 3. The hood system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first joint is substantially impermeable to water.
 4. The hood system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said front end of said roof section and said rearward end of said hood section interfit.
 5. The hood system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said front end of said roof section and said rearward end of said hood section each have an upwardly opening, partial cylindrical shape that curves around a circular arc of more than 180 degrees, said rearward end of said hood section being sized to fit within said front end of said roof section to rotably connect said rearward end of said hood section to said front end of said roof section.
 6. The hood system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said forward end of said hood section and each said fastening member form a mechanical second joint.
 7. The hood system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said forward end of said hood section and each said fastening member interfit.
 8. The hood system as set forth in claim 1 wherein each said fastening member has a gutter slot for mounting said fastening member on said forward end of said rain gutter and a hood groove for receiving said forward end of said hood section.
 9. The hood system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said forward end of said hood section has an upwardly opening, partial cylindrical shape that curves around a circular arc of more than 180 degrees, and said hood groove has an upwardly opening, partial cylindrical shape that curves around a circular arc of more than 180 degrees and is sized to receive said forward end of said hood section to form a cylinder-in-cylinder second joint.
 10. The hood system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said hood groove is positioned behind said gutter slot to position said forward end of said hood section behind said forward end of said rain gutter.
 11. The hood system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said roof section is divided into a plurality of roof section segments with adjacent said roof section segments abutting along roof section segment seams.
 12. The hood system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said hood section is divided into a plurality of hood section segments with adjacent said hood section segments abutting along hood section segment seams.
 13. The hood system as set forth in claim 11 wherein roof section segment seams are offset relative to said hood section segment seams.
 14. The hood system as set forth in claim 10 including storm clips at said roof section segment seams, said storm clips having a base for mounting on said roof, and first and second tabs spaced above said base, said first and second tabs extending in opposite directions from said roof section segment seam such that said first tab extends over and holds down one of an adjacent pair of roof section segments and said second tab extends over and holds down the other of said adjacent pair of roof section segments.
 15. An adjustable hood system for an open trough rain gutter having a forward end and a back wall attached to an eave of a roof having a slope, comprising: a roof section having a generally flat portion connected to a front end, said front end having an upwardly opening, partial cylindrical shape that curves around a circular arc of more than 180 degrees, a hood section having a rearward end, a generally flat first portion extending forwardly from said back edge, a curved second portion that extends forwardly and downwardly from said first portion, and then downwardly and rearwardly, and a forward end extending from said second portion opposite said first portion, said rearward end having an upwardly opening, partial cylindrical shape that curves around a circular arc of more than 180 degrees, said rearward end being sized to fit within said front end of said roof section to form a mechanical first joint with said front end of said roof section to rotably connect said rearward end of said hood section to said front end of said roof section, said forward end having an upwardly opening, partial cylindrical shape that curves around a circular arc of more than 180 degrees, and a plurality of spaced fastening members having a gutter slot for mounting said fastening member on said forward end of said rain gutter and a hood groove for receiving said forward end of said hood section, said hood groove having an upwardly opening, partial cylindrical shape that curves around a circular arc of more than 180 degrees and being sized to receive said forward end of said hood section to form a cylinder-in-cylinder second joint with said forward end of said hood section to rotably connect said fastening members and said forward end of said hood section, said hood groove being positioned behind said gutter slot to position said forward end of said hood section behind said forward end of said rain gutter, whereby said roof section is adjustable to said slope of said roof and capable of being integrated into said roof, and said hood section is adjustable to a pitch of said rain gutter and a level of said rain gutter relative to said roof. 